Last evening I spent two hours with one of the critique groups I helped organize last year through Northern Colorado Writers. This group now calls itself High Plains Drafters.
Don't you love the names writers come up with for their groups? Another group I facilitated at the beginning is focused on mystery fiction. They named their group The Red Herrings.
Anyway, back to last night's gathering. They invited me as their special guest to a picnic and critique session on the sandy beach of a small lake north of town. I ate a sandwich, a couple of raw veggies, a few nachos, and a great piece of chocolate zucchini cake.
Although I had expected heat and humidity next to the lake, and planned for a mosquito attack since the pesky things find me very tasty, none of that came to pass. It was cool. Fish were jumping way before the sun dropped behind the hills. During that two hours, at least six flights of Canadian geese came from across the lake and passed overhead in their perfect V formation.
I propped my leg on the crossbar of the picnic table and relaxed as I listened to the group critique three submissions after each author read a couple of pages out loud. I didn't have much to add since their critiquing skills are excellent. This mixed genre fiction group has made great progress on their novels and short stories.
It was a wonderful to be in the good company of supportive writers critiquing good writing.
When two members of the group went to launch their kayaks, however, I saw the writing on the lake. If I stayed, someone was sure to talk me into one of those contraptions. A canoe is good, a rowboat better, but I'm afraid to get in a kayak. My spirit of adventure runs head on into my fear of drowning by hanging upside down in the clutches of something I can't escape.
I ended the perfect evening by beating a fast retreat. I have no regrets.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Tending the Worms
But First, The Mysterious Me
If you haven't already read Jean Henry's interview of moi at Mysterious Writers, it will be up all week.
Tending the Worms
I spent a productive hour in my yard today, pulling a few weeds, spreading the composted yuck (from one of my worm bins) around my roses and lavender plants, and washing out the empty bin.
The worms in the other bin still have room to work, so I added shredded newspaper, soil, and the fruit and veggie peels and trimmings I'd collected in my bucket in the pantry.
Most of the ick factor is removed from these tasks when I wear old clothes and long rubber gloves to do the work. Picking up the redworms and moving them around is no problem. It's the yuck they produce as they eat and excrete that turns me off.
It's a small price to pay, however. I like the idea of keeping our fruit and veggie debris out of the landfill or sewage treatment plant. Using a natural fertilizer on the garden is a good thing.
The bins are easy to set up. I used two of the big plastic storage bins with lids that are vented in the handle. With a hammer and nail, I punched more vent holes in the lid. Added plain soil, shredded newspaper, fruit and vegetable parings from the kitchen, and redworms. Turned the mix from time to time. I also add more soil and newspaper strips to help keep the mix from getting too soupy.
Piece of cake.
Last winter I made the mistake of leaving my worm bins on the patio. Turns out the worms don't do so well when the bins get bitter cold. This winter I'm going to put them in the garage (stashed under my worktable so hopefully my guy won't notice) and do a better job of tending the herd. I should have at least two bins of excellent compost for spring planting.
To read about a more complex composting project (and relate it to writing, no less), see Marvin Wilson's August 23rd post at The Old Silly's Free Spirit Blog.
Here's an article on Composting with Redworms that covers everything, including The Sex Life of a Redworm. You don't want to miss that.
What does this have to do with my writing? Well, it's what I did right after lunch instead of writing. Does that count?
If you haven't already read Jean Henry's interview of moi at Mysterious Writers, it will be up all week.
Tending the Worms
I spent a productive hour in my yard today, pulling a few weeds, spreading the composted yuck (from one of my worm bins) around my roses and lavender plants, and washing out the empty bin.
The worms in the other bin still have room to work, so I added shredded newspaper, soil, and the fruit and veggie peels and trimmings I'd collected in my bucket in the pantry.
Most of the ick factor is removed from these tasks when I wear old clothes and long rubber gloves to do the work. Picking up the redworms and moving them around is no problem. It's the yuck they produce as they eat and excrete that turns me off.
It's a small price to pay, however. I like the idea of keeping our fruit and veggie debris out of the landfill or sewage treatment plant. Using a natural fertilizer on the garden is a good thing.
The bins are easy to set up. I used two of the big plastic storage bins with lids that are vented in the handle. With a hammer and nail, I punched more vent holes in the lid. Added plain soil, shredded newspaper, fruit and vegetable parings from the kitchen, and redworms. Turned the mix from time to time. I also add more soil and newspaper strips to help keep the mix from getting too soupy.
Piece of cake.
Last winter I made the mistake of leaving my worm bins on the patio. Turns out the worms don't do so well when the bins get bitter cold. This winter I'm going to put them in the garage (stashed under my worktable so hopefully my guy won't notice) and do a better job of tending the herd. I should have at least two bins of excellent compost for spring planting.
To read about a more complex composting project (and relate it to writing, no less), see Marvin Wilson's August 23rd post at The Old Silly's Free Spirit Blog.
Here's an article on Composting with Redworms that covers everything, including The Sex Life of a Redworm. You don't want to miss that.
What does this have to do with my writing? Well, it's what I did right after lunch instead of writing. Does that count?
Friday, August 27, 2010
I'm a Mysterious Writer This Week!
I've been interviewed by Jean Henry Mead at Mysterious Writers! Come on over and check out Jean's excellent blog, and see what she was able to learn about my writing life.
The Return of Nagging Whisper
Nagging Whisper is after me again.
She says (over and over) I need to finish revisions.
She says I need to write query letters.
She says I need to write the two blog posts I owe The Blood-Red Pencil for September.
She reminds me I need to promote the interview I did for Jean Henry Mead that will go up tomorrow at Mysterious Writers.
She tells me I need more exercise and should start going to the gym five times a week.
She pokes me hard and says don't forget I'm teaching two classes for a mini-conference on September 18th and I still need to prepare handouts for the second class.
She says my windows are dirty.
She yells at me, "Finish the stupid revisions already."
She slaps my hand when I reach for a square of chocolate.
She dangles my To Do List in front of my face and laughs maniacally as she points to the items I have not crossed off.
She reminds me I need a new photo for my website and blog, and, with a very snotty tone, says I should wear my glasses. She adds, "And smile this time."
And finally, before she wanders down the hall with three of my favorite pens and a bar of my chocolate, she smacks me on the side of the head and says, "FINISH THE STUPID REVISIONS."
So I'll be working hard this weekend to finish revisions. I gotta get Nagging Whisper off my case.
She says (over and over) I need to finish revisions.
She says I need to write query letters.
She says I need to write the two blog posts I owe The Blood-Red Pencil for September.
She reminds me I need to promote the interview I did for Jean Henry Mead that will go up tomorrow at Mysterious Writers.
She tells me I need more exercise and should start going to the gym five times a week.
She pokes me hard and says don't forget I'm teaching two classes for a mini-conference on September 18th and I still need to prepare handouts for the second class.
She says my windows are dirty.
She yells at me, "Finish the stupid revisions already."
She slaps my hand when I reach for a square of chocolate.
She dangles my To Do List in front of my face and laughs maniacally as she points to the items I have not crossed off.
She reminds me I need a new photo for my website and blog, and, with a very snotty tone, says I should wear my glasses. She adds, "And smile this time."
And finally, before she wanders down the hall with three of my favorite pens and a bar of my chocolate, she smacks me on the side of the head and says, "FINISH THE STUPID REVISIONS."
So I'll be working hard this weekend to finish revisions. I gotta get Nagging Whisper off my case.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
My Writing Life: Sources of Inspiration by Rabbi Ilene Schneider
My guest today is one of the first six women rabbis in the United States, Rabbi Ilene Schneider. Student, educator, columnist, birder, gardener, and writer, Rabbi Schneider says she "hasn’t decided yet what (or who) she wants to be when she grows up." She is currently Coordinator of Jewish Hospice for Samaritan Hospice in Marlton, NJ, near Philadelphia, and author of the Rabbi Aviva Cohen mysteries.
Here's the blurb for Chanukah Guilt:
Rabbi Aviva Cohen is a 50-something, twice-divorced rabbi living a rather uneventful life in South Jersey. True, she has a family that is rather unconventional. And her first ex-husband is moving to her town. But her life takes a truly interesting – and sinister – turn when she agrees to officiate at the funeral of an unpopular land developer. She doesn’t expect to be told by two different people that he had been murdered. Nor does she expect that the first funeral will result in a suicide. Her search for the story behind the suicide (or was it murder?) will lead her to discover the truism “appearances can be deceiving” is accurate, while putting her life in jeopardy.
--------------------------
My Writing Life: Sources of Inspiration by Rabbi Ilene Schneider
Every author who has ever appeared in public for a reading or a signing has been asked the inevitable “Where do you get your ideas?” question.
Mine come from two main sources: the news (“Gee, that’s interesting. I wonder what would happen if . . . “); and the shower (“How am I ever going to get Aviva out of this corner I wrote her into? Oh, I know . . . “).
I can now add a third: sleep.
Many years ago, I took a graduate course on creativity (mainly because I figured it would be an easy A; I got an A, but it wasn’t easy). I had long known my creative impulses come from my unconscious or, perhaps, subconscious mind. I don’t outline. I don’t write numerous drafts, tear them up, and start over. I come up with an idea and then let it simmer for a while. By the time I sit down to write (in grad school, on a portable Selectric typewriter – yes, I remember when it was state of the art – now on whatever computer isn’t being used by my younger son to create movie videos to upload to YouTube), the words flow. Okay, they sometimes sputter, but I just type anyway, seemingly without any conscious thought. The creativity course confirmed what I had already known about my writing process.
It used to drive my undergrad math major friends crazy that I could sit at my typewriter (a manual at that time) the night before a paper was due with no outline, just a pile of books with slips of paper, and a pad of yellow legal paper with cryptic notes (some of which I couldn’t decipher) in front of me. I would then proceed to knock out the paper within a couple of hours, pass in the first draft, and get an A. But I had probably been thinking about my topic since the professor gave us the assignment, done all the reading, and made all those enigmatic notes. By the time I sat down at the typewriter, the entire paper existed in my mind. I just had to get it out of there through my fingers on the keyboard and onto the paper.
Yes, I still write that way. And, yes, I’ve written this blog entry that way.
So, back to how I have been inspired while asleep.
The other night, at about 2:00 AM, I woke up with a sentence in my head. Just one sentence. And a fairly nonsensical one, too. I’ve no idea where it came from. And I had no idea where it would lead.
For the next few hours, I tossed and turned while “what if’s” and “how about’s” filled in the blanks. By the time I fell asleep, the alarm was about to go off. I felt fairly useless at work all day, but I had a complete short story in my head.
Of course, it’s not as simple as I tell it. I plunked myself down in front of the laptop that afternoon and began typing. Fortunately, I remembered the first line. And the second. Then the rest of the story followed. Well, about half of it did anyway. At some point, I got bored, re-read what I had written, realized it wasn’t hopelessly bad, but it did need a lot of tweaking. Okay, it needed some heavy duty editing and rewriting. But at least it hadn’t gone the way of most sleep-inspired ideas, into the ether never to be retrieved again.
I haven’t looked at the story now for about a week. It needs time in the slow cooker, aka, my brain. But when I do get back to it, I know the words will be there.
-------------------------
My thanks to Rabbi Schneider for joining us today. I was especially interested in her story since I also do a lot of writing in my head before I sit down and binge write at the computer. It's nice to know other people find that a "normal" way to work. Visit her combination website/blog at Rabbi Aviva Cohen Mysteries. Those of you who love stories about older writers and older protagonists will be interested in Rabbi Schneider's post on "Senior" Writers.
Here's the blurb for Chanukah Guilt:
Rabbi Aviva Cohen is a 50-something, twice-divorced rabbi living a rather uneventful life in South Jersey. True, she has a family that is rather unconventional. And her first ex-husband is moving to her town. But her life takes a truly interesting – and sinister – turn when she agrees to officiate at the funeral of an unpopular land developer. She doesn’t expect to be told by two different people that he had been murdered. Nor does she expect that the first funeral will result in a suicide. Her search for the story behind the suicide (or was it murder?) will lead her to discover the truism “appearances can be deceiving” is accurate, while putting her life in jeopardy.--------------------------
My Writing Life: Sources of Inspiration by Rabbi Ilene Schneider
Every author who has ever appeared in public for a reading or a signing has been asked the inevitable “Where do you get your ideas?” question.Mine come from two main sources: the news (“Gee, that’s interesting. I wonder what would happen if . . . “); and the shower (“How am I ever going to get Aviva out of this corner I wrote her into? Oh, I know . . . “).
I can now add a third: sleep.
Many years ago, I took a graduate course on creativity (mainly because I figured it would be an easy A; I got an A, but it wasn’t easy). I had long known my creative impulses come from my unconscious or, perhaps, subconscious mind. I don’t outline. I don’t write numerous drafts, tear them up, and start over. I come up with an idea and then let it simmer for a while. By the time I sit down to write (in grad school, on a portable Selectric typewriter – yes, I remember when it was state of the art – now on whatever computer isn’t being used by my younger son to create movie videos to upload to YouTube), the words flow. Okay, they sometimes sputter, but I just type anyway, seemingly without any conscious thought. The creativity course confirmed what I had already known about my writing process.
It used to drive my undergrad math major friends crazy that I could sit at my typewriter (a manual at that time) the night before a paper was due with no outline, just a pile of books with slips of paper, and a pad of yellow legal paper with cryptic notes (some of which I couldn’t decipher) in front of me. I would then proceed to knock out the paper within a couple of hours, pass in the first draft, and get an A. But I had probably been thinking about my topic since the professor gave us the assignment, done all the reading, and made all those enigmatic notes. By the time I sat down at the typewriter, the entire paper existed in my mind. I just had to get it out of there through my fingers on the keyboard and onto the paper.
Yes, I still write that way. And, yes, I’ve written this blog entry that way.
So, back to how I have been inspired while asleep.
The other night, at about 2:00 AM, I woke up with a sentence in my head. Just one sentence. And a fairly nonsensical one, too. I’ve no idea where it came from. And I had no idea where it would lead.
For the next few hours, I tossed and turned while “what if’s” and “how about’s” filled in the blanks. By the time I fell asleep, the alarm was about to go off. I felt fairly useless at work all day, but I had a complete short story in my head.
Of course, it’s not as simple as I tell it. I plunked myself down in front of the laptop that afternoon and began typing. Fortunately, I remembered the first line. And the second. Then the rest of the story followed. Well, about half of it did anyway. At some point, I got bored, re-read what I had written, realized it wasn’t hopelessly bad, but it did need a lot of tweaking. Okay, it needed some heavy duty editing and rewriting. But at least it hadn’t gone the way of most sleep-inspired ideas, into the ether never to be retrieved again.
I haven’t looked at the story now for about a week. It needs time in the slow cooker, aka, my brain. But when I do get back to it, I know the words will be there.
-------------------------
My thanks to Rabbi Schneider for joining us today. I was especially interested in her story since I also do a lot of writing in my head before I sit down and binge write at the computer. It's nice to know other people find that a "normal" way to work. Visit her combination website/blog at Rabbi Aviva Cohen Mysteries. Those of you who love stories about older writers and older protagonists will be interested in Rabbi Schneider's post on "Senior" Writers.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
I Love My Critique Group
Before I get started on today's topic, I want to announce my guest blogger for tomorrow, Rabbi Ilene Schneider, author of the Rabbi Aviva Cohen mysteries. One of the fun things about mystery writing is finding that special niche that suits the author and doesn't mimic the millions of other mysteries on the market. A female sleuth who's also a rabbi? Sounds like the makings of a great read. Please stop back tomorrow and read Rabbi Schneider's thoughts on inspiration and where to find it.
--------------------
And now for the main event: I Love My Critique Group
Raintree Writers (as we call ourselves) reviewed the rewritten and revised first chapter of Wishing Caswell Dead. I received their verbal and written comments at our Monday night meeting. The feedback was encouraging. I think I'm headed in the right direction.
I have changed about ten chapters from first person to third person with the main character's voice carried through the narrative as well as the dialogue. This makes the main character's chapters consistent with the secondary characters' chapters.
My question for the critique group was, "Did I get it right? Does the narrative work?"
Happily, they agree I'm on the right track. I still have some fine-tuning to do, but I feel more comfortable now finishing the rewrite and then completing my self-editing chores.
A great critique group is supportive, but honest. In an ideal group, individual members tend to focus on different elements of writing. While one member might provide line-by-line editing notes on grammar and punctuation, another might focus on inconsistencies in a character's behavior.
At the meeting, one member mentioned he'd used purple highlighting to show me the things he liked in the chapter. A second member highlighted all the places I'd used "was" and words ending in "ing," symptoms of passive language. A third member zeroed in on the timeline of the first chapter which includes a flashback. I picked up additional ideas during the discussion.
While many writers prefer genre-specific groups, others like a membership with eclectic interests. Both are useful, but I like a mix-up of projects. I think we learn more that way. Raintree Writers now includes one author of horror and other dark fiction. We have a literary guy with a bit of the paranormal in his projects. Another writer finished a women's novel and then turned to a non-fiction historical project. One is writing a historical novel based on her father's experience during World War II. A member currently on leave writes YA fiction. I'm writing mystery and suspense. Two of us are published in long fiction and one in short stories (eight so far this year).
How did we find each other? The founding members of Raintree Writers, all female, attended the same novel writing class at the end of 2003. Folks have come and gone, but a core group of four originals still belong. The two extra members we now have include the instructor of the 2003 novel writing class, and a writer the instructor recommended. The group now contains four women and two men.
I credit my group with providing the moral support and encouragement that kept me writing and submitting. I would hate to go it alone.
--------------------
And now for the main event: I Love My Critique Group
Raintree Writers (as we call ourselves) reviewed the rewritten and revised first chapter of Wishing Caswell Dead. I received their verbal and written comments at our Monday night meeting. The feedback was encouraging. I think I'm headed in the right direction.
I have changed about ten chapters from first person to third person with the main character's voice carried through the narrative as well as the dialogue. This makes the main character's chapters consistent with the secondary characters' chapters.
My question for the critique group was, "Did I get it right? Does the narrative work?"
Happily, they agree I'm on the right track. I still have some fine-tuning to do, but I feel more comfortable now finishing the rewrite and then completing my self-editing chores.
A great critique group is supportive, but honest. In an ideal group, individual members tend to focus on different elements of writing. While one member might provide line-by-line editing notes on grammar and punctuation, another might focus on inconsistencies in a character's behavior.
At the meeting, one member mentioned he'd used purple highlighting to show me the things he liked in the chapter. A second member highlighted all the places I'd used "was" and words ending in "ing," symptoms of passive language. A third member zeroed in on the timeline of the first chapter which includes a flashback. I picked up additional ideas during the discussion.
While many writers prefer genre-specific groups, others like a membership with eclectic interests. Both are useful, but I like a mix-up of projects. I think we learn more that way. Raintree Writers now includes one author of horror and other dark fiction. We have a literary guy with a bit of the paranormal in his projects. Another writer finished a women's novel and then turned to a non-fiction historical project. One is writing a historical novel based on her father's experience during World War II. A member currently on leave writes YA fiction. I'm writing mystery and suspense. Two of us are published in long fiction and one in short stories (eight so far this year).
How did we find each other? The founding members of Raintree Writers, all female, attended the same novel writing class at the end of 2003. Folks have come and gone, but a core group of four originals still belong. The two extra members we now have include the instructor of the 2003 novel writing class, and a writer the instructor recommended. The group now contains four women and two men.
I credit my group with providing the moral support and encouragement that kept me writing and submitting. I would hate to go it alone.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
It Was the Tree Guys' Fault
My schedule was thrown totally out of whack yesterday, just because the tree guys came two hours earlier than I expected. And then they sang Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" while they worked.
I never really got back on track. I know that's more my fault than theirs. I claim to be a "go with the flow" woman who is totally flexible, but it's not always true. And I still have the lyrics to "You're So Vain" running through my head.
There's one good thing, though. The front and back yard look a lot better. There was a blight in our dwarf apple tree, my guy couldn't mow up close to a couple of the trees because of low hanging branches, one long branch overhung the driveway so two cars couldn't park side by side, and we had a horrid fast-growing shrub in a tiny corner next to the gate.
The offending tree branches are gone and the shrub will never be seen again.
But yesterday's schedule was shot. I did finish the laundry, but not until I returned from my writers' group meeting. I did write this rather short and unimaginative blog post. And I did fix a meal of sorts.
The rest of the time, I aimlessly wandered from tab to tab--this e-mail and that e-mail, Twitter and Facebook, and from one blog post to another. I made a few appointments and looked up a recipe for peach cobbler.
I'll do better today (as soon as I finish making that peach cobbler).
I never really got back on track. I know that's more my fault than theirs. I claim to be a "go with the flow" woman who is totally flexible, but it's not always true. And I still have the lyrics to "You're So Vain" running through my head.
There's one good thing, though. The front and back yard look a lot better. There was a blight in our dwarf apple tree, my guy couldn't mow up close to a couple of the trees because of low hanging branches, one long branch overhung the driveway so two cars couldn't park side by side, and we had a horrid fast-growing shrub in a tiny corner next to the gate.
The offending tree branches are gone and the shrub will never be seen again.
But yesterday's schedule was shot. I did finish the laundry, but not until I returned from my writers' group meeting. I did write this rather short and unimaginative blog post. And I did fix a meal of sorts.
The rest of the time, I aimlessly wandered from tab to tab--this e-mail and that e-mail, Twitter and Facebook, and from one blog post to another. I made a few appointments and looked up a recipe for peach cobbler.
I'll do better today (as soon as I finish making that peach cobbler).
Monday, August 23, 2010
South Pacific on Tour
A performance of South Pacific on stage from the Lincoln Center in New York was carried on one of our PBS stations this week. I recorded it, then watched it all the way through Saturday night. I had forgotten how much I love this story and its Rodgers and Hammerstein music.Adapted from James Michener's Tales of the South Pacific, the production features song lyrics full of meaning and lessons, just as relevant today as they were in the World War II time period of the story.
Those lyrics speak of love found some enchanted evening, racial prejudice that you have to be taught, and the dreams you must have if you ever want to have a dream come true. And who doesn't dream of having a Bali Hai, your own special island?
This production was the first Broadway revival of South Pacific and played to huge crowds since its March 2008 opening. It won seven Tony awards in 2008. The Lincoln Center web page for this musical has a slide show of photos from the performances. The last Lincoln Center evening was scheduled for August 22, 2010.
The production is now on tour. If you've never seen it, you're missing a wonderful show. I hope the tour is expanded to include a theater near me. I would go again and again.
I doubt James Michener ever imagined his Tales of the South Pacific (which won the 1948 Pulitzer Prize for fiction) as a stage or movie musical when he first wrote the book. But don't we all, maybe in one tiny corner of our minds, think our books would make great movies? And don't we all imagine who would play the main character?
Take it a step further. What comes to mind when you think of your main character (or the main character of a popular novel) starring in a musical? Can you imagine your characters singing and dancing?
Saturday, August 21, 2010
One Lovely Blog Award
Friday the 13th, little more than a week ago, was my lucky day.Rebecca Thompson at Sonshine Thoughts passed her One Lovely Blog Award on to eight lucky blogger friends, and she included me. I'm honored, so many thanks to Rebecca for thinking of me.
If you haven't visited Sonshine Thoughts before, drop by and say hi to Rebecca. While you're there, you can read about the Attack of the Bloggy Snatcher's blogfest.
But now on to the second part of this award process. I get to pass it on to eight bloggers. What I'm going to do this time around is pick fairly new blogs that I think are truly pleasing to the eye. Here we go:
N. R. Willams, Fantasy Author
Audrey Lintner at Puns and Posies
Mary-Montague Sikes at Notes Along the Way
Foodie Road Show (I first met this blogger when she was knee-high to a grasshopper, back in Indiana. She's now a Coloradoan, and her food photos are awesome. If you hurry over there today, you can still enter her first giveaway -- a cool angel food cake pan and an assortment of Numi teas.)
KK Brees on Writing
Patti Struble at The Writer's Bump
Jenny at Choice City Native
Kay at The Half-Elven of the Far Isles
These are by no means the only blogs I could have listed here, so feel free to cruise through my blogrolls any time you want. And have a wonderful weekend.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Listen to Nagging Whisper (or Whatever You Call Her)
That well-rested manuscript I had once declared finished...well...it wasn't. Even though I pitched the novel to an editor at a writers' conference in March, something held me back from sending a partial. It was tiny Nagging Whisper who told me: "It's not ready."
Nagging Whisper has a thin face with a pointed chin and sharp little nose. She disapproves of my writing habits, and doesn't hesitate to criticize, but I put up with her because she's very wise.
I set Wishing Caswell Dead aside and wrote the first draft for a new novel (which is now resting while I do other stuff).
Four months after that conference pitch session, Nagging Whisper made a suggestion. "Go back to the Caswell novel. Change main character Jo Mae's point of view to third person."
"I'm listening," I said.
"Keep Jo Mae's voice in her narrative."
"Wow, that could be a little tricky." Well, maybe not. To a certain extent, I had already done that for the other characters' point of view chapters. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.
"I'm not finished," Nagging Whisper hissed. She can be a little testy if she thinks I'm not paying attention. "Comb through the whole novel again. Look for overused words, passive verbs, and overlong passages of narrative."
"That's silly. I know that stuff. I teach courses on self-editing, for Pete's sake."
Nagging Whisper snorted. Then she cleared her throat. "Frankly, I would never have known. Your manuscript is full of stupid little errors. Maybe you should hire a real editor."
Fearing I'd be totally embarrassed to give my work to a real editor if it was as bad as Nagging Whisper said, I decided to revise and then self-edit one more time. I made the changes from first person to third person in the Jo Mae chapters. And then I read the first chapter out loud.
Overused words (real, just, some, surely, and right) jumped off the pages and waved frantically to get my attention. How had I missed them before? Gerunds and passive verbs were sprawled everywhere, most bored, but some even snoring. Impossible. That's not the way I write. Passages of narrative begged for dialog. What was I thinking?
Even though the waving, snoring and begging from the pages of my novel are annoying, I want to thank Nagging Whisper for persuading me to let the manuscript sit on the shelf instead of rushing to submit too soon. And I'd like to give her a hug for suggesting I work on the main character's point of view.
I'm getting the work done. It feels great. This is why I recommend:
1. Listen to Nagging Whisper (or Muse or Spirit or whatever you call her...or him).
2. Always let your manuscript rest several weeks before you do your final self-edit. A couple of weeks is not enough.
3. If you plan to self-publish, hire a professional editor to fine-tune your work before you proceed, even if you think it's perfect.
Nagging Whisper has a thin face with a pointed chin and sharp little nose. She disapproves of my writing habits, and doesn't hesitate to criticize, but I put up with her because she's very wise.
I set Wishing Caswell Dead aside and wrote the first draft for a new novel (which is now resting while I do other stuff).
Four months after that conference pitch session, Nagging Whisper made a suggestion. "Go back to the Caswell novel. Change main character Jo Mae's point of view to third person."
"I'm listening," I said.
"Keep Jo Mae's voice in her narrative."
"Wow, that could be a little tricky." Well, maybe not. To a certain extent, I had already done that for the other characters' point of view chapters. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.
"I'm not finished," Nagging Whisper hissed. She can be a little testy if she thinks I'm not paying attention. "Comb through the whole novel again. Look for overused words, passive verbs, and overlong passages of narrative."
"That's silly. I know that stuff. I teach courses on self-editing, for Pete's sake."
Nagging Whisper snorted. Then she cleared her throat. "Frankly, I would never have known. Your manuscript is full of stupid little errors. Maybe you should hire a real editor."
Fearing I'd be totally embarrassed to give my work to a real editor if it was as bad as Nagging Whisper said, I decided to revise and then self-edit one more time. I made the changes from first person to third person in the Jo Mae chapters. And then I read the first chapter out loud.
Overused words (real, just, some, surely, and right) jumped off the pages and waved frantically to get my attention. How had I missed them before? Gerunds and passive verbs were sprawled everywhere, most bored, but some even snoring. Impossible. That's not the way I write. Passages of narrative begged for dialog. What was I thinking?
Even though the waving, snoring and begging from the pages of my novel are annoying, I want to thank Nagging Whisper for persuading me to let the manuscript sit on the shelf instead of rushing to submit too soon. And I'd like to give her a hug for suggesting I work on the main character's point of view.
I'm getting the work done. It feels great. This is why I recommend:
1. Listen to Nagging Whisper (or Muse or Spirit or whatever you call her...or him).
2. Always let your manuscript rest several weeks before you do your final self-edit. A couple of weeks is not enough.
3. If you plan to self-publish, hire a professional editor to fine-tune your work before you proceed, even if you think it's perfect.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
My Writing Life by Margot Kinberg, Guest Blogger
I'm delighted to have Margot Kinberg as my guest today. I've been following her on Twitter and visiting her blog, Confessions of a Mystery Novelist, for quite a while, so it's fun to learn how she began to write and then achieved publication of her mystery series. This is her story.
--------------------
My Writing Life by Margot Kinberg
Some people know that they want to write fiction from the time they’re quite young. I’m not one of those people. I’d written a few (thankfully unpublished) short stories, and some (also thankfully unpublished) poetry. Most of my writing was academic; articles, scholarly books and conference presentations. But from the time I was young, I always loved mysteries. I’ve read all kinds of mysteries, too: Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, P.D. James, Dorothy Sayers, Colin Dexter and lots more. I’d never thought much about writing a mystery myself, and then everything changed.
One evening, I was at the dinner table with my husband and daughter and we were talking about some of the ins and outs of academic life. I mentioned that it would make a great murder mystery, and both my husband and daughter said I should write one. We spent the rest of the meal talking about the characters, the victim and the plot. At first, I thought it was just a flight of fancy, but before long, I decided I really would try to write a murder mystery.
For the next year, I wrote whenever I could and created my first mystery novel. I got invaluable help from my beta-readers and support from my family. When my manuscript was finished, I sent it around to a few agents and publishers, but got rejected. I think that’s one thing that aspiring writers need to remember; rejection happens. I think one important key is finding the right publisher. A rejection may simply mean that one’s work isn’t a good fit for a publisher. But finally, my first novel, Publish or Perish, was accepted. I was thrilled that it had been accepted, and even more so when I saw the cover art and the final galley of the book.
After Publish or Perish was accepted, I decided to turn my book into a series and began to write the second book in my Joel Williams series, B-Very Flat. B-Very Flat was published in April, and right now, I’m on my third novel, which for right now I’m calling Dying to See You.
My writing life hasn’t exactly been a traditional one, but I’m very excited at how it’s been going. I’m greatly helped on this writing journey by the support and feedback I get from my beta readers; they always tell me the truth about my work, and that’s important. I also learn a great deal and get a lot of help from the online community of crime fiction fans and the online community of writers that I’ve been privileged to join. We all face similar challenges, and that’s immensely helpful to me. Finally, and most importantly, I value the support I get from my family, who started it all. ; )
---------------------
Thanks a bunch, Margot, for sharing your story with us today. It's a pleasure learning more about you and your writing.
Readers who would like to see the book trailer for B-Very Flat, can check it out at You Tube, or just scroll down to the bottom of the page on Margot's blog.
--------------------
My Writing Life by Margot Kinberg
Some people know that they want to write fiction from the time they’re quite young. I’m not one of those people. I’d written a few (thankfully unpublished) short stories, and some (also thankfully unpublished) poetry. Most of my writing was academic; articles, scholarly books and conference presentations. But from the time I was young, I always loved mysteries. I’ve read all kinds of mysteries, too: Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, P.D. James, Dorothy Sayers, Colin Dexter and lots more. I’d never thought much about writing a mystery myself, and then everything changed.One evening, I was at the dinner table with my husband and daughter and we were talking about some of the ins and outs of academic life. I mentioned that it would make a great murder mystery, and both my husband and daughter said I should write one. We spent the rest of the meal talking about the characters, the victim and the plot. At first, I thought it was just a flight of fancy, but before long, I decided I really would try to write a murder mystery.
For the next year, I wrote whenever I could and created my first mystery novel. I got invaluable help from my beta-readers and support from my family. When my manuscript was finished, I sent it around to a few agents and publishers, but got rejected. I think that’s one thing that aspiring writers need to remember; rejection happens. I think one important key is finding the right publisher. A rejection may simply mean that one’s work isn’t a good fit for a publisher. But finally, my first novel, Publish or Perish, was accepted. I was thrilled that it had been accepted, and even more so when I saw the cover art and the final galley of the book.After Publish or Perish was accepted, I decided to turn my book into a series and began to write the second book in my Joel Williams series, B-Very Flat. B-Very Flat was published in April, and right now, I’m on my third novel, which for right now I’m calling Dying to See You.
My writing life hasn’t exactly been a traditional one, but I’m very excited at how it’s been going. I’m greatly helped on this writing journey by the support and feedback I get from my beta readers; they always tell me the truth about my work, and that’s important. I also learn a great deal and get a lot of help from the online community of crime fiction fans and the online community of writers that I’ve been privileged to join. We all face similar challenges, and that’s immensely helpful to me. Finally, and most importantly, I value the support I get from my family, who started it all. ; )
---------------------
Thanks a bunch, Margot, for sharing your story with us today. It's a pleasure learning more about you and your writing.
Readers who would like to see the book trailer for B-Very Flat, can check it out at You Tube, or just scroll down to the bottom of the page on Margot's blog.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Wednesday Bits and Pieces
Jury Duty?
Yes, I do have to report. Check in time is at 8:15. We're advised not to park in a two-hour space because we most certainly will be there more than two hours. Bring something to read or work on, the recorded message said, and best bring along a sweater because it's usually cold.
I was juror number 253, and the highest number called was 253. Number 254 and beyond were released as having performed their duty for 2010. Am I lucky or what?
A Couple of New (or Sorta New) Blogs
I'd like to introduce you to Chiseled in Rock, the blog of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, run by Dave Jackson and Cynthia Richards. Here you'll find posts on writing, rejection, agents, conferences, and getting published.
Jenny, a member of Northern Colorado Writers, has started a blog project designed to lift her out of her rut by finding new things to do in Fort Collins, Colorado. She'll be reporting on her adventures each Wednesday. Her blog is called Choice City Native.
What I'm Reading
I finally picked up Karen Walker's memoir, Following the Whispers. I'd put off reading this book for a long time because I already knew a little of Karen's story from her blog. As a mom, and as a long ago kid, I find it tough to think of the traumas some children must endure at an early age and how it impacts their lives forever. Karen's memoir is poignant and sad, but her determination to survive and overcome the obstacles she encounters is a compelling story. She's an excellent writer with a tight, clear voice. I'm having a tough time putting the book down so I can get my other work done.
Tomorrow's Guest Blogger
My most excellent guest tomorrow is Margot Kinberg, mystery novelist and blogger extraordinaire at Confessions of a Mystery Novelist. You won't want to miss Margot's story.
Yes, I do have to report. Check in time is at 8:15. We're advised not to park in a two-hour space because we most certainly will be there more than two hours. Bring something to read or work on, the recorded message said, and best bring along a sweater because it's usually cold.
I was juror number 253, and the highest number called was 253. Number 254 and beyond were released as having performed their duty for 2010. Am I lucky or what?
A Couple of New (or Sorta New) Blogs
I'd like to introduce you to Chiseled in Rock, the blog of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, run by Dave Jackson and Cynthia Richards. Here you'll find posts on writing, rejection, agents, conferences, and getting published.
Jenny, a member of Northern Colorado Writers, has started a blog project designed to lift her out of her rut by finding new things to do in Fort Collins, Colorado. She'll be reporting on her adventures each Wednesday. Her blog is called Choice City Native.
What I'm Reading
I finally picked up Karen Walker's memoir, Following the Whispers. I'd put off reading this book for a long time because I already knew a little of Karen's story from her blog. As a mom, and as a long ago kid, I find it tough to think of the traumas some children must endure at an early age and how it impacts their lives forever. Karen's memoir is poignant and sad, but her determination to survive and overcome the obstacles she encounters is a compelling story. She's an excellent writer with a tight, clear voice. I'm having a tough time putting the book down so I can get my other work done.
Tomorrow's Guest Blogger
My most excellent guest tomorrow is Margot Kinberg, mystery novelist and blogger extraordinaire at Confessions of a Mystery Novelist. You won't want to miss Margot's story.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Time for a Little Jury Duty?
Yesterday was a very productive writing day. The weather helped me along. When thunderstorms move in and lightning gets uncomfortably close, I shut down my computer and go downstairs.
Those chapters I'm reworking from first person to third person were printed out and waiting on the kitchen table. I picked up the stack, grabbed a red pen, and went to work. Success. I stayed up a little later than usual last night to enter my changes on the first chapter into the Word document so I could easily meet my critique group submission deadline today.
Today is also the first day I'll call in to see if my jury summons will require me to report in person tomorrow. In the past, I've been released without a jury assignment many times. I served once in another state, years ago, for one day.
It's not that I'm feeling neglected, but it seems like I get passed over a lot. I'm just sayin'...
Waiting in a room with the jury pool could provide a serious block of time to work on my manuscript revisions. Forced time away from the Internet could increase my productivity. There will be opportunities to people-watch. Taking notes on the jury selection process and language could be useful for a future novel.
Assignment to a trial would change everything. There would be no spare time for people-watching or note-taking. But I would get a free pass on posting to my blog, tweeting, status updates, e-mail, grocery shopping, and fixing meals. Right?
So will I need to report in person? I'll let you know tomorrow.
Those chapters I'm reworking from first person to third person were printed out and waiting on the kitchen table. I picked up the stack, grabbed a red pen, and went to work. Success. I stayed up a little later than usual last night to enter my changes on the first chapter into the Word document so I could easily meet my critique group submission deadline today.
Today is also the first day I'll call in to see if my jury summons will require me to report in person tomorrow. In the past, I've been released without a jury assignment many times. I served once in another state, years ago, for one day.
It's not that I'm feeling neglected, but it seems like I get passed over a lot. I'm just sayin'...
Waiting in a room with the jury pool could provide a serious block of time to work on my manuscript revisions. Forced time away from the Internet could increase my productivity. There will be opportunities to people-watch. Taking notes on the jury selection process and language could be useful for a future novel.
Assignment to a trial would change everything. There would be no spare time for people-watching or note-taking. But I would get a free pass on posting to my blog, tweeting, status updates, e-mail, grocery shopping, and fixing meals. Right?
So will I need to report in person? I'll let you know tomorrow.
Monday, August 16, 2010
With a Little Help From My Friends
I'm working hard today, so I'm going to hook you up with a few of my blogger friends who posted some good stuff last week.
First, I suggest you first-time authors who are facing the horror of public speaking as you promote your new release read mystery author Cricket McRae's Saturday post at Hearth Cricket, Who Would Have Thought?
And then there are the book signings that don't go according to plan. Stephen Tremp describes one of those in When Things Go Really, Really, Really Bad at Breakthrough Blogs.
Eric W. Trant has a blog called Digging With the Worms. His entertaining Saturday post was Writing Tips I Learned From My Kids.
To end with a good laugh, I always want you to visit L. Diane Wolfe's The Sunday Sillies at Spunk on a Stick to see her latest silly kitties. I don't have a cat, but these photos always make me wish I did.
First, I suggest you first-time authors who are facing the horror of public speaking as you promote your new release read mystery author Cricket McRae's Saturday post at Hearth Cricket, Who Would Have Thought?
And then there are the book signings that don't go according to plan. Stephen Tremp describes one of those in When Things Go Really, Really, Really Bad at Breakthrough Blogs.
Eric W. Trant has a blog called Digging With the Worms. His entertaining Saturday post was Writing Tips I Learned From My Kids.
To end with a good laugh, I always want you to visit L. Diane Wolfe's The Sunday Sillies at Spunk on a Stick to see her latest silly kitties. I don't have a cat, but these photos always make me wish I did.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The Winners
The two official winners of a copy of the Harlequin Worldwide paperback edition of The Desert Hedge Murders from last Wednesday's Bits and Pieces blog are:
Yvonne at Welcome to My World of Poetry
Rena at Rena Jones
I'll be contacting you two ladies for a mailing address so I can send the books on their way.
Thanks to everyone who left a comment on Wednesday's blog. And stay tuned. I'll have another giveaway soon.
And remember, the book will be available at Harlequin's online bookstore beginning September 1st.
Yvonne at Welcome to My World of Poetry
Rena at Rena Jones
I'll be contacting you two ladies for a mailing address so I can send the books on their way.
Thanks to everyone who left a comment on Wednesday's blog. And stay tuned. I'll have another giveaway soon.
And remember, the book will be available at Harlequin's online bookstore beginning September 1st.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
August Book Giveaway by Mystery Writers of America
But first let me remind you that you have until the end of today to leave a comment on my Wednesday Bits and Pieces blog post for a chance to win an advance copy of the Harlequin Worldwide paperback edition of The Desert Hedge Murders. Midnight tonight, U.S. Mountain Time, is the deadline.
--------------------
And now for the big MWA giveaway. Each month readers who are legal residents of the 50 United States can enter Mystery Writers of America's contest for a box of great mystery, suspense, and thriller novels from MWA member authors. Here's the list for August:
The Long Quiche Goodbye by Avery Aames
City of Silver by Annamaria Alfieri
Stork Raving Mad by Donna Andrews
Toast Mortem by Claudia Bisho
A Cast-Off Coven by Juliet Blackwell
Blind Spot by Nancy Bush
Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts
Inside Out by Barry Eisler
Layover in Dubai by Dan Fesperman
Reckless by Andrew Gross
Love's Magic by Traci E. Hall
Laughed "Til He Died by Carolyn Hart
Blood Law by Jeannie Holmes
Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy
Queen of the Night by J.A. Jance
Reel Murder by Mary Kennedy
Saintly Remains by Tony Perona
Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
Innocent by Scott Turow
Heirs of Cain by Tom Wallace
Your deadline to sign up is August 31st.
Hope you're having a great weekend!
--------------------
And now for the big MWA giveaway. Each month readers who are legal residents of the 50 United States can enter Mystery Writers of America's contest for a box of great mystery, suspense, and thriller novels from MWA member authors. Here's the list for August:
The Long Quiche Goodbye by Avery Aames
City of Silver by Annamaria Alfieri
Stork Raving Mad by Donna Andrews
Toast Mortem by Claudia Bisho
A Cast-Off Coven by Juliet Blackwell
Blind Spot by Nancy Bush
Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts
Inside Out by Barry Eisler
Layover in Dubai by Dan Fesperman
Reckless by Andrew Gross
Love's Magic by Traci E. Hall
Laughed "Til He Died by Carolyn Hart
Blood Law by Jeannie Holmes
Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy
Queen of the Night by J.A. Jance
Reel Murder by Mary Kennedy
Saintly Remains by Tony Perona
Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
Innocent by Scott Turow
Heirs of Cain by Tom Wallace
Your deadline to sign up is August 31st.
Hope you're having a great weekend!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Chat Amongst Yourselves Until I Return...
I'm out of the office today. Please feel free to hang out here and chat amongst yourselves until I get back. There's plenty of Lindt's 85% dark chocolate in the top shelf of my bookcase.
For your entertainment and inspiration, I'm posting this link to The Miami Herald's reprint of Dave Barry's 2008 column where he gave way too much information about his colonoscopy.
See you tomorrow.
For your entertainment and inspiration, I'm posting this link to The Miami Herald's reprint of Dave Barry's 2008 column where he gave way too much information about his colonoscopy.
See you tomorrow.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Lessons Learned... by J. E. Taylor, Guest Blogger
Today I'd like to welcome J. E. Taylor to the Thursday "My Writing Life" series. Jane's experience with nontraditional publishers will be helpful to those still trying to decide whether to hold out for that agent/publisher deal or go it alone.
--------------------
Lessons Learned. . .
Hi all! My name is Jane E. Taylor and last month (July 2010) I had two books released, both from small e-publishers, and I thought it might be beneficial if I relayed my experiences leading up to going this route versus the more traditional agent/publisher route.
I made mistakes, burned bridges by being a babe in the publishing woods and ran through my most wanted agents list before I was ready. I’m hoping that sharing my experiences will spare those standing in the starting gate from making the same mistakes.
First and most important lesson I learned: MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT A QUERY LETTER IS BEFORE YOU START SHOPPING FOR AGENTS!
I look at those early letters, and I just want to hide under a blanket in the corner in shame. My first attempt at the query-go-round was a business letter that introduced me and then went on to say I had four complete manuscripts with a brief, badly written description of each. What a nightmare.
Another mistake is the rush to get the manuscript out there. In my case those early versions were definitely not up to snuff - but being such a novice, I didn’t know that. I’m a visual creature, and those first drafts were written like I was watching a movie - only scratching the surface and absent of any iota of depth in character or emotional connections.
Then I found the forum at Backspace: The Writer's Place.
That was the rock salt I needed to polish the rough prose into gleaming gems.
I learned another invaluable lesson from my Backspace brethren -- patience. Jumping the gun before you are ready is another way of shooting yourself in the foot. As writers, we need to put both time and distance between us and our writing in order to get a grain of objectivity. The longer the time away, the sharper your editor’s eye will be. DO NOT RUSH IT. It’s worth taking the time to make the story stand out -- to make it sparkle.
Another nugget of gold I found on the Internet was Margie Lawson’s Deep Editing courses. She teaches the EDITS system which helps writers find the gaps in their writing. Not only did her courses offer great editing tools, but they also hooked me up with some of the best critique partners I could ask for. Between my critique partners and those I met on Backspace, I found a community that enabled me to grow as a writer.
I knew SURVIVAL GAMES was a candidate for small or specialty presses just by way of the content, and after being turned down by several online romance publishers, I toyed with self-publishing. While researching SMASHWORDS and e-book publishing, I did a search on the most popular e-publishers and found eXcessica. They didn’t shy away from subjects that push the envelope and they offered both e-books and trade paperbacks. I took a gamble, thinking if they said no, then I’d just go the self publish route through SMASHWORDS.
Needless to say, I was dancing on the ceiling when they accepted SURVIVAL GAMES. They also picked up the following two books in the GAMES trilogy, and I have three short stories coming out in 2011 and 2012 eXcessica anthologies. When eXcessica announced an affiliation with a new mainstream e-publisher-- FIDO Publishing-- I submitted.
My paranormal suspense DARK RECKONING was released on my birthday - July 5, 2010. I’ve had such positive experiences with my publishers and a stellar royalty deal that I’m no longer chasing the traditional route.
The question I ask myself these days: if they came knocking at my door - would I trade the creative freedom and high royalty payouts for a spot on the shelf in Supermarkets and Walmart and other mass-market distributors?
I don’t have an answer for you.
Thanks for indulging me.
JET
--------------------
Thanks for being here today, Jane. I enjoy seeing the different paths writers take to publication. The publishing world is changing so fast it's hard to keep up. The main thing we all have to remember is that good editing is key to success. If your publisher doesn't have editing services included as part of your contract, you need to hire an good editor to go over your manuscript before you publish.
To learn more about Jane's books (which could be described as edgy, maybe even from the dark side), please visit her website. And take a look at the cover art Jane is working on for her short stories. Find them by scrolling down the blog section of the website's home page.
--------------------
Lessons Learned. . .
Hi all! My name is Jane E. Taylor and last month (July 2010) I had two books released, both from small e-publishers, and I thought it might be beneficial if I relayed my experiences leading up to going this route versus the more traditional agent/publisher route.I made mistakes, burned bridges by being a babe in the publishing woods and ran through my most wanted agents list before I was ready. I’m hoping that sharing my experiences will spare those standing in the starting gate from making the same mistakes.
First and most important lesson I learned: MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT A QUERY LETTER IS BEFORE YOU START SHOPPING FOR AGENTS!
I look at those early letters, and I just want to hide under a blanket in the corner in shame. My first attempt at the query-go-round was a business letter that introduced me and then went on to say I had four complete manuscripts with a brief, badly written description of each. What a nightmare.
Another mistake is the rush to get the manuscript out there. In my case those early versions were definitely not up to snuff - but being such a novice, I didn’t know that. I’m a visual creature, and those first drafts were written like I was watching a movie - only scratching the surface and absent of any iota of depth in character or emotional connections.
Then I found the forum at Backspace: The Writer's Place.
That was the rock salt I needed to polish the rough prose into gleaming gems.
I learned another invaluable lesson from my Backspace brethren -- patience. Jumping the gun before you are ready is another way of shooting yourself in the foot. As writers, we need to put both time and distance between us and our writing in order to get a grain of objectivity. The longer the time away, the sharper your editor’s eye will be. DO NOT RUSH IT. It’s worth taking the time to make the story stand out -- to make it sparkle.
Another nugget of gold I found on the Internet was Margie Lawson’s Deep Editing courses. She teaches the EDITS system which helps writers find the gaps in their writing. Not only did her courses offer great editing tools, but they also hooked me up with some of the best critique partners I could ask for. Between my critique partners and those I met on Backspace, I found a community that enabled me to grow as a writer.
I knew SURVIVAL GAMES was a candidate for small or specialty presses just by way of the content, and after being turned down by several online romance publishers, I toyed with self-publishing. While researching SMASHWORDS and e-book publishing, I did a search on the most popular e-publishers and found eXcessica. They didn’t shy away from subjects that push the envelope and they offered both e-books and trade paperbacks. I took a gamble, thinking if they said no, then I’d just go the self publish route through SMASHWORDS.
Needless to say, I was dancing on the ceiling when they accepted SURVIVAL GAMES. They also picked up the following two books in the GAMES trilogy, and I have three short stories coming out in 2011 and 2012 eXcessica anthologies. When eXcessica announced an affiliation with a new mainstream e-publisher-- FIDO Publishing-- I submitted.
My paranormal suspense DARK RECKONING was released on my birthday - July 5, 2010. I’ve had such positive experiences with my publishers and a stellar royalty deal that I’m no longer chasing the traditional route.
The question I ask myself these days: if they came knocking at my door - would I trade the creative freedom and high royalty payouts for a spot on the shelf in Supermarkets and Walmart and other mass-market distributors?
I don’t have an answer for you.
Thanks for indulging me.
JET
--------------------
Thanks for being here today, Jane. I enjoy seeing the different paths writers take to publication. The publishing world is changing so fast it's hard to keep up. The main thing we all have to remember is that good editing is key to success. If your publisher doesn't have editing services included as part of your contract, you need to hire an good editor to go over your manuscript before you publish.
To learn more about Jane's books (which could be described as edgy, maybe even from the dark side), please visit her website. And take a look at the cover art Jane is working on for her short stories. Find them by scrolling down the blog section of the website's home page.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Wednesday Bits and Pieces
A Post on Twitter at The Blood-Red Pencil
I'm at The Blood Red-Pencil today, showing how writers and bloggers can squeeze lots of information into, and maximize the reach of, a 140-character tweet on Twitter. Come on over if you can use a Twitter tip or two.
Books to Win at Medeia Sharif blog
YA author Medeia is celebrating her blogging experience with the Big Box of Paranormal giveaway. The link to her entry form is toward the end of her August 7th post on contests.
Thursday's Guest
My guest blogger tomorrow is J. E. Taylor, author of Dark Reckoning. I hope you'll drop by for another great "path to publication" post.
Another Story With a Fun Blogger Connection
Somewhere along the line, I made contact with Doris Plaster, a social worker from Missouri who blogs at "Hold my hand": a social worker's blog. Doris won a signed copy of the paperback edition of The Prairie Grass Murders from a mutual blogger friend, Ann Best, who blogs at Long Journey Home. Well, Doris took the paperback with her on vacation and the book became part of a wonderful story. I promise you'll like it. The name of her post is A note from Natoya.
Nice Job, Harlequin!
Today I received my free promotional copies of the mass market paperback edition of The Desert Hedge Murders from Harlequin Worldwide. Didn't they do a stunning cover for the book? The Harlequin-written synopsis on the back is so much better than the one I wrote -- I'm taking lessons.
The book will be available at Harlequin's online bookstore on September 1st. I'll post the link here when it's official.
In the meantime, just to celebrate, I'd like to conduct my first give away of this paperback edition. To be eligible for one of the two copies I'm making available this time around, please leave a comment on this August 11th post anytime between now and Saturday midnight (U.S. Mountain Time), and make sure there's a link to a contact url or e-mail address so I can track you down. And yes, all blogger friends are welcome to enter, no matter where you live (as long as it's on Earth -- I can't afford the postage to other worlds or planets).
I'm at The Blood Red-Pencil today, showing how writers and bloggers can squeeze lots of information into, and maximize the reach of, a 140-character tweet on Twitter. Come on over if you can use a Twitter tip or two.
Books to Win at Medeia Sharif blog
YA author Medeia is celebrating her blogging experience with the Big Box of Paranormal giveaway. The link to her entry form is toward the end of her August 7th post on contests.
Thursday's Guest
My guest blogger tomorrow is J. E. Taylor, author of Dark Reckoning. I hope you'll drop by for another great "path to publication" post.
Another Story With a Fun Blogger Connection
Somewhere along the line, I made contact with Doris Plaster, a social worker from Missouri who blogs at "Hold my hand": a social worker's blog. Doris won a signed copy of the paperback edition of The Prairie Grass Murders from a mutual blogger friend, Ann Best, who blogs at Long Journey Home. Well, Doris took the paperback with her on vacation and the book became part of a wonderful story. I promise you'll like it. The name of her post is A note from Natoya.
Nice Job, Harlequin!
Today I received my free promotional copies of the mass market paperback edition of The Desert Hedge Murders from Harlequin Worldwide. Didn't they do a stunning cover for the book? The Harlequin-written synopsis on the back is so much better than the one I wrote -- I'm taking lessons.The book will be available at Harlequin's online bookstore on September 1st. I'll post the link here when it's official.
In the meantime, just to celebrate, I'd like to conduct my first give away of this paperback edition. To be eligible for one of the two copies I'm making available this time around, please leave a comment on this August 11th post anytime between now and Saturday midnight (U.S. Mountain Time), and make sure there's a link to a contact url or e-mail address so I can track you down. And yes, all blogger friends are welcome to enter, no matter where you live (as long as it's on Earth -- I can't afford the postage to other worlds or planets).
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Local Blog Catapults Jake to Stardom
Maybe I'm obsessing about this "should a writer blog?" question, but it's the fault of Cat Woods and her Words From the Woods post of August 6th: On a Blogroll: Do you have what it takes? She has a little quiz that has proved very interesting, since I totally flunked.
So I keep wondering, should writers blog anyway, even if it's a tough road. If so, why?
The best answer I could find this week was in a local friend's blog post called Jake is a T.V. Star (on Animal Planet, of course). I asked Pam Wolf, a member of Northern Colorado Writers, if I could reprint her post in full instead of merely linking to it, and she said yes. Here's what happened as a result of Pam's March 29th post, Jake's Story.
--------------------
Jake is a T.V. Star (on Animal Planet, of course)
It’s funny how things happen…for Jake it has been a series of lucky breaks, certainly brought on by Jake himself. From stray cat picked up by the Larimer Humane Society, to failed adoptions that brought him to the folks at the Fort Collins Cat Rescue, to the decision for him to become a Shelter Cat, and finally to a new job as a therapy cat, he has brought joy and comfort to folks who love him instantly and are delighted by his antics.
Korats are known for bringing good luck with them wherever they go. And so Jake has. He has led a charmed life but it has not stopped there. Last week it resulted in STARDOM!
Believe it or not Jake is a TV star. I was absolutely floored when I discovered that one of my posts published in this blog, Writing Outside the Barn, caught the eye of Animal Planet. They run a terrific program called Cats 101 (and Dogs 101) that highlight different breeds or activities of certain cats (or dogs). It seems they were looking for stories about Korat cats and presto, due to our modern technology and Google, they picked up the post, “Jake’s Story” published a few months ago and languishing in cyber-space, waiting to be noticed. In that story, I surmised Jake was a Korat cat. Sarah, director of the Fort Collins Cat Rescue was contacted. Leslie (Jake's handler) and I had planned to take him to a rehab center that very day, so I took some photos, and Sarah e-mailed them to Animal Planet.
I have done a little searching myself and now am convinced he is a Korat cat because of his thick silvery coat and his heart shaped face with round green eyes and large ears set up high on his head. What really convinced me though were his small oval paws with blue to lavender colored pads.
So the next thing you know a crew from Animal Planet arrived to tape him for a program about Korat cats. Jake first visited the library where he was read to by children in the Readers to the Rescue program. His next stop was at the Fort Collins Cat Rescue where he got a breather for a while and was taped playing (bossing) around his companions, especially Princess Grace, one of HIS girls.
His last visit was a nursing home, where he was tired and may have been a bit impatient with the cameras and sound crew hovering around and following his every move, but he stuck to his job. He charmed the residents and at the same time continued to explore all the enticing sights, sounds and smells. At one point he was encouraged to spend some time in the yard but it was clear he liked being inside with his people. They were fascinated by him and all who wanted attention got some from him.
In all his visits, from the library to the nursing home, his quiet, dignified presence was calming while at the same time exemplified royalty and high position. In his native Thailand, Korats are often given as good luck charms on royal occasions, especially weddings. Jake’s performance made us proud.
I wasn’t at the shelter when Jake returned but Leslie, his handler, told me he was ready for his home base, and had had a very big day. He needed one of those famous things cats are well known for, a nap! I will fill you in on more of the details of Animal Planet’s visit soon (there is lots more to tell) plus I will let you know when his episode airs. (P.S. You can find the The original Jake’s Story here.)
--------------------
Pam is a poet, writer, and photographer who lives on an urban horse farm in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains.
So there's a lesson or two here, don't you think?
One, no matter how often you post or what your blog is about, no matter how many or few your followers, regardless of the number of comments you receive, you may get noticed just because someone Googles a topic you wrote about.
Two, inviting interesting guests to your blog can't hurt. Don't overlook the small stories that relate to your writing life.
For the moment, Pam is simply enjoying the fact her blog created a wonderful opportunity for Jake to be a star. But she was on site for much of the activity, carried her business cards and used them, and is now very alert to the opportunities blogging could bring her way.
So doesn't the extra work involved with blogging seem slightly less of a burden now?
So I keep wondering, should writers blog anyway, even if it's a tough road. If so, why?
The best answer I could find this week was in a local friend's blog post called Jake is a T.V. Star (on Animal Planet, of course). I asked Pam Wolf, a member of Northern Colorado Writers, if I could reprint her post in full instead of merely linking to it, and she said yes. Here's what happened as a result of Pam's March 29th post, Jake's Story.
--------------------
Jake is a T.V. Star (on Animal Planet, of course)
It’s funny how things happen…for Jake it has been a series of lucky breaks, certainly brought on by Jake himself. From stray cat picked up by the Larimer Humane Society, to failed adoptions that brought him to the folks at the Fort Collins Cat Rescue, to the decision for him to become a Shelter Cat, and finally to a new job as a therapy cat, he has brought joy and comfort to folks who love him instantly and are delighted by his antics.Korats are known for bringing good luck with them wherever they go. And so Jake has. He has led a charmed life but it has not stopped there. Last week it resulted in STARDOM!
Believe it or not Jake is a TV star. I was absolutely floored when I discovered that one of my posts published in this blog, Writing Outside the Barn, caught the eye of Animal Planet. They run a terrific program called Cats 101 (and Dogs 101) that highlight different breeds or activities of certain cats (or dogs). It seems they were looking for stories about Korat cats and presto, due to our modern technology and Google, they picked up the post, “Jake’s Story” published a few months ago and languishing in cyber-space, waiting to be noticed. In that story, I surmised Jake was a Korat cat. Sarah, director of the Fort Collins Cat Rescue was contacted. Leslie (Jake's handler) and I had planned to take him to a rehab center that very day, so I took some photos, and Sarah e-mailed them to Animal Planet.
I have done a little searching myself and now am convinced he is a Korat cat because of his thick silvery coat and his heart shaped face with round green eyes and large ears set up high on his head. What really convinced me though were his small oval paws with blue to lavender colored pads.
So the next thing you know a crew from Animal Planet arrived to tape him for a program about Korat cats. Jake first visited the library where he was read to by children in the Readers to the Rescue program. His next stop was at the Fort Collins Cat Rescue where he got a breather for a while and was taped playing (bossing) around his companions, especially Princess Grace, one of HIS girls.
His last visit was a nursing home, where he was tired and may have been a bit impatient with the cameras and sound crew hovering around and following his every move, but he stuck to his job. He charmed the residents and at the same time continued to explore all the enticing sights, sounds and smells. At one point he was encouraged to spend some time in the yard but it was clear he liked being inside with his people. They were fascinated by him and all who wanted attention got some from him.
In all his visits, from the library to the nursing home, his quiet, dignified presence was calming while at the same time exemplified royalty and high position. In his native Thailand, Korats are often given as good luck charms on royal occasions, especially weddings. Jake’s performance made us proud.
I wasn’t at the shelter when Jake returned but Leslie, his handler, told me he was ready for his home base, and had had a very big day. He needed one of those famous things cats are well known for, a nap! I will fill you in on more of the details of Animal Planet’s visit soon (there is lots more to tell) plus I will let you know when his episode airs. (P.S. You can find the The original Jake’s Story here.)
--------------------
Pam is a poet, writer, and photographer who lives on an urban horse farm in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains.
So there's a lesson or two here, don't you think?
One, no matter how often you post or what your blog is about, no matter how many or few your followers, regardless of the number of comments you receive, you may get noticed just because someone Googles a topic you wrote about.
Two, inviting interesting guests to your blog can't hurt. Don't overlook the small stories that relate to your writing life.
For the moment, Pam is simply enjoying the fact her blog created a wonderful opportunity for Jake to be a star. But she was on site for much of the activity, carried her business cards and used them, and is now very alert to the opportunities blogging could bring her way.
So doesn't the extra work involved with blogging seem slightly less of a burden now?
Monday, August 9, 2010
Book-in-a-Week Online Community
I'd never heard of BIW until last week when I learned that two online friends had participated in this community set up for writers to state their writing goals and report daily on their progress. I can imagine it's a powerful aid to developing a writing discipline, a great incentive to set up monthly writing "retreats," and a way to produce a solid word count over the course of a week.
Since the process sounds a lot like a mini version of November's well-known NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), I decided to investigate further. I gathered my BIW information at the Book-in-a-Week website.
A one-time non-refundable payment of $3.00 is charged for new members to enter the group. Additional donations are accepted for those who wish to support this community.
The group's motto is BIC HOK TAM (Butt in chair, hands on keyboard, typing away madly).
There's a Book-in-a-Week blog to explore, an excellent list of recommended reading and other resources at the website, and more. Check out both sites and see what you think.
The August week starts today and finishes on the 16th, so consider looking into this community and signing up in advance for the September (Sept. 13-20) session. All of the information is at the Join BIW page.
Some of the members who currently use the BIW community are listed on the website's member site page. Elsa Neal, a contributor to The Blood-Red Pencil, is listed there. Mystery writer Ann Parker, author of the Leadville historical series, is a BIW member as well.
This group is for those writing new material, not for those focused on revisions. When I'm ready to start a new project, I plan to join BIW and see if it helps me keep BIC HOK TAM.
Has anyone here tried BIW? If so, did it help you?
Since the process sounds a lot like a mini version of November's well-known NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), I decided to investigate further. I gathered my BIW information at the Book-in-a-Week website.
"BIW writers are connected through an online community through LMS Learning Management System -- or Moodle. The main purpose of the group is to write, but we also exchange information, publishing news and kudos. Anything writing related."
A one-time non-refundable payment of $3.00 is charged for new members to enter the group. Additional donations are accepted for those who wish to support this community.
The group's motto is BIC HOK TAM (Butt in chair, hands on keyboard, typing away madly).
There's a Book-in-a-Week blog to explore, an excellent list of recommended reading and other resources at the website, and more. Check out both sites and see what you think.
The August week starts today and finishes on the 16th, so consider looking into this community and signing up in advance for the September (Sept. 13-20) session. All of the information is at the Join BIW page.
Some of the members who currently use the BIW community are listed on the website's member site page. Elsa Neal, a contributor to The Blood-Red Pencil, is listed there. Mystery writer Ann Parker, author of the Leadville historical series, is a BIW member as well.
This group is for those writing new material, not for those focused on revisions. When I'm ready to start a new project, I plan to join BIW and see if it helps me keep BIC HOK TAM.
Has anyone here tried BIW? If so, did it help you?
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Excused Absence
I'm working on my book this weekend.
I'm going to point you toward a couple of excellent blog posts by blogger friends:
Cat Woods at Words From the Woods: On a BlogRoll: do you have what it takes?
I answered all of Cat's questions and reached the conclusion I should never have started a blog. However, now that I'm here, I'll probably hang out for a while. I will be taking some weekends off to write more, and I will have more guest bloggers, but I'm enjoying this blogging community so much I'd hate to give up.
Beth Groundwater's blog: Cover Art for Deadly Currents!
Take a look at the cover for Beth's first book in her new Rocky Mountain Outdoor Adventures series. Her release date is March 1, 2011.
Poe's Deadly Daughters: The Zen and the Art of Ice Cream
A delightful guest post from Wendy Lyn Watson and Mary Jane Maffini.
Chuck Sambuchino's Guide to Literary Agents Editor's Blog: How to Start Your Mystery Novel
There's more in this helpful post about beginnings, including first sentences.
Have a wonderful weekend.
I'm going to point you toward a couple of excellent blog posts by blogger friends:
Cat Woods at Words From the Woods: On a BlogRoll: do you have what it takes?
I answered all of Cat's questions and reached the conclusion I should never have started a blog. However, now that I'm here, I'll probably hang out for a while. I will be taking some weekends off to write more, and I will have more guest bloggers, but I'm enjoying this blogging community so much I'd hate to give up.
Beth Groundwater's blog: Cover Art for Deadly Currents!
Take a look at the cover for Beth's first book in her new Rocky Mountain Outdoor Adventures series. Her release date is March 1, 2011.
Poe's Deadly Daughters: The Zen and the Art of Ice Cream
A delightful guest post from Wendy Lyn Watson and Mary Jane Maffini.
Chuck Sambuchino's Guide to Literary Agents Editor's Blog: How to Start Your Mystery Novel
There's more in this helpful post about beginnings, including first sentences.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Killer First Sentences
You all know how much I love to talk about first sentences. I'm at it again, mostly because I've made the first pass through my WIP to change the point of view in about eight chapters, and now I'm doing the fine tuning on the first chapter. This is the deep, deep revision where I have to make final, final decisions about how to write the narrative. My first sentence will lead the way. I need to get it right.
This is the stage of writing when the books piled on the table by my reading chair come in very handy. I start through the stack, reading first sentences, first paragraphs, first pages, and even first chapters. Today the focus is on killer first sentences:
"A library could be a dangerous place."
--------------------The Book of Spies by Gayle Lynds
I'm about half way through The Book of Spies. I like this sentence because I love libraries so much and think of them as safe havens. Dangerous? In what way?
"How weird that you could push open your front door and know in an instant that something was wrong."
--------------------Rumor Has It by Jill Mansell
This one sounds like a great first sentence for a mystery, but the book is actually chick lit. Most likely the "something wrong" is not a dead body, but a romantic or family problem. Still, I'm curious. I'll read on to find out what the "something wrong" is.
"My name is Stephanie Plum and I was born and raised in the Chambersburg section of Trenton, where the top male activities are scarfing pastries and pork rinds and growing love handles."
--------------------To The Nines by Janet Evanovich
I already know how much I enjoy the Stephanie Plum series, so I'd be reading the book even if the first sentence was boring. This is a good one because it sets the location and gives us a hint about Stephanie's attitude.
"Miranda didn't hear the sound he made when his face hit the sidewalk."
--------------------City of Dragons by Kelli Stanley
This is a great beginning for a mystery because it immediately raises questions. Who was the guy who hit the sidewalk face first? Was he drunk and just passed out? Did he jump from a window on the tenth floor? Does Miranda know this guy?
First sentences can do a lot of different things, but it helps if they're interesting enough to make the reader want to hurry on to the second sentence, and the third. I'm still working on that part.
This is the stage of writing when the books piled on the table by my reading chair come in very handy. I start through the stack, reading first sentences, first paragraphs, first pages, and even first chapters. Today the focus is on killer first sentences:
"A library could be a dangerous place."
--------------------The Book of Spies by Gayle Lynds
I'm about half way through The Book of Spies. I like this sentence because I love libraries so much and think of them as safe havens. Dangerous? In what way?
"How weird that you could push open your front door and know in an instant that something was wrong."
--------------------Rumor Has It by Jill Mansell
This one sounds like a great first sentence for a mystery, but the book is actually chick lit. Most likely the "something wrong" is not a dead body, but a romantic or family problem. Still, I'm curious. I'll read on to find out what the "something wrong" is.
"My name is Stephanie Plum and I was born and raised in the Chambersburg section of Trenton, where the top male activities are scarfing pastries and pork rinds and growing love handles."
--------------------To The Nines by Janet Evanovich
I already know how much I enjoy the Stephanie Plum series, so I'd be reading the book even if the first sentence was boring. This is a good one because it sets the location and gives us a hint about Stephanie's attitude.
"Miranda didn't hear the sound he made when his face hit the sidewalk."
--------------------City of Dragons by Kelli Stanley
This is a great beginning for a mystery because it immediately raises questions. Who was the guy who hit the sidewalk face first? Was he drunk and just passed out? Did he jump from a window on the tenth floor? Does Miranda know this guy?
First sentences can do a lot of different things, but it helps if they're interesting enough to make the reader want to hurry on to the second sentence, and the third. I'm still working on that part.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
How I Traded Needlepoint for Writing by Terry Odell, Guest Blogger
I'm pleased to introduce Terry Odell as my guest today. Many of you are already followers of her excellent blog at Terry's Place.I first "met" Terry on an online authors group for one of our publishers. And we have something else in common -- we both retired from Florida to Colorado.
Now I have high hopes of meeting Terry face-to-face one of these days, maybe at one of the Colorado writers' conferences.
Here's what Terry has to say about her own path to publication.
-------------------------
How I Traded Needlepoint for Writing.
The second-most often question I get asked when I tell people I'm a writer is, "How long have you been writing?" (The first is, "Have I heard of you?") Other authors spout off their histories of wanting to write since before they could talk, or how they wrote their first manuscript in crayon. My answer: "About six years." I was a card-carrying AARP member before I considered writing anything.
From there, it's, "How did you get started writing?" The short answer? I ran out of room on my walls for needlepoint and had to find another creative outlet. But the real answer is, "By mistake."
I never had any dreams of being a writer. Creative writing classes weren't my forte. I knew all the rules of grammar, got A's in English, but I was a reader. I devoured books. I read anything, from comic books to cereal boxes. My parents tell everyone that we moved when I was 12 because I finished the library. I made up stories, but they were in my head. I never thought about writing one down. They were usually daydreams, or continuations of books I'd read, or stories about characters on television. The closest I came to writing was two pages of a story I'd had running around in my head. But the actual typing was a total drag. Punctuation mattered. You had to start sentences with capital letters. There were quotation marks to deal with. All that use of the 'shift' key was a nuisance.
Years later, my son was visiting. He, as all men are wont to do, was "watching" television by flipping the remote. He stopped on a show. "This one's cool," he said. "It's all about these guys who can't die unless you cut off their heads."My son went back home. Being a good mother, I decided to watch the show so we'd have something "cool" to talk about. I found "Highlander" in the listings, set the recorder, and watched an episode. Okay, I'm not proud. Watching Adrian Paul was no hardship. But the show also raised questions about what these Immortals could and couldn't do, and I got curious. I discovered the world of fan fiction. I found an author whose voice resonated with me (although I had no clue it was her 'voice' back then) and read all her stories.
Then, one day, I decided to see what would happen if I tried to write a story. The beauty of fan fiction is that your world and your characters are all there. You can work on the skills of the craft in small increments. I cranked out my little story—actually, sweated it out, because it still didn't come easy, what with getting all those quotation marks in the right place—and bravely sent it to the writer I'd befriended.
I'm sure she got a good laugh, but she came back with advice and comments. What the heck was POV?
I accepted the challenge. She had immeasurable patience, and when I finally had her approval that it was done, she insisted I post it to one of the Highland fan fiction forums. I got positive feedback, and like any good puppy, kept trying to please. (Had I known then how low the bar was for positive feedback, I might not have kept going, but since I didn't, I did.)
Eventually, I thought I'd try writing some original fiction, just to see if I could. I recall an exercise, where we were supposed to write a "hook" in under 200 words. I sent mine in, and got lots of "Wow, what happens next?" comments. How the heck did I know? So, I kept writing. 143,000 words later, the first draft of Finding Sarah was finished, and I'd hooked up with a local, in person, critique group who drove me to consider the "get it published" side of the writing craft.
Much later, I was talking with my son. I asked him a Highlander-related question. His reply. "Oh, I never actually watched the show. I just thought it was a cool concept."
And that's how I became a writer by mistake. I don't think I'll go back to needlepoint.
My latest release is a romantic suspense, Nowhere to Hide, from The Wild Rose Press. It began as a spin-off to Finding Sarah, but was revamped as a stand alone. There's a story behind that one, but it will have to wait.
-------------------------
Thanks so much for being here today, Terry. The transition from needlepoint to writing is novel. I enjoyed reading how you tumbled into this new adventure by accident, and I wish you continued success.
Terry Odell is the author of five published romantic suspense novels, and an assortment of contemporary romance short stories. You can learn more about her and her writing at her website and her blog, Terry's Place. Watch for her new novel from Five Star Expressions, Where Danger Hides, in 2011.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Just Bits, No Pieces
First of all, let me remind everyone that tomorrow is guest blogger day, and guess who's stopping by...
Let me give you a hint--the schedule is over there in my sidebar.
Yep, Terry Odell is going to tell you how she happened to become a writer. As you'd expect, Terry took one of those less-traveled paths, so you don't want to miss her story.
Blog Book Tours
In addition to the Thursday guest blogger series, I'll be opening more guest slots to authors on blog book tours. These tours are great promotional options for writers with new releases, and they're also a powerful tool for attracting new traffic to our blogs.
Just Bits
I'm working on my manuscript today. At least four hours. Today. No matter what. And at least four hours each on Friday and Saturday, too. Yep. No matter what.
And as we all know, those are the words that tempt fate...
Let me give you a hint--the schedule is over there in my sidebar.
Yep, Terry Odell is going to tell you how she happened to become a writer. As you'd expect, Terry took one of those less-traveled paths, so you don't want to miss her story.
Blog Book Tours
In addition to the Thursday guest blogger series, I'll be opening more guest slots to authors on blog book tours. These tours are great promotional options for writers with new releases, and they're also a powerful tool for attracting new traffic to our blogs.
Just Bits
I'm working on my manuscript today. At least four hours. Today. No matter what. And at least four hours each on Friday and Saturday, too. Yep. No matter what.
And as we all know, those are the words that tempt fate...
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Monkey Balls and Book Titles
I don't talk about food too often on this site...well, except for chocolate...but I ran across this restaurant menu item from The Drunken Monkey in Fort Collins, Colorado and couldn't resist continuing the name theme started by Alan Orloff at A Million Blogging Monkeys: Ptomaine's House of Beef.
Monkey Balls (this restaurant version, anyway) are made from cheesecake, deep fried, then drowned in ice cream, whipped cream, and hot fudge. Sounds decadent, and I wouldn't try it at home. But if you're ever in Northern Colorado, you might want to check it out.
Death by Chocolate comes in many forms, but I tried one in a restaurant in Florida many years ago and it nearly finished me. I thought I really was going to die. Eventually my taste for chocolate returned, thank goodness.
Snickerdoodles are my favorite cookies of all time. I've been making them since I was a kid, and that was a really, really long time ago. When my own kids were little, I let them roll the dough and dip it into the cinnamon, sugar mixture for me. They saved me a lot of work, and they were having fun with no thoughts of actually being helpful.
Blueberry Grunt (also known as blueberry slump) is made with blueberries and a sweet dumpling dough.
My paternal grandmother used to make her In a Bowl Put cake for dessert. As far as we knew, it had no other name and there was no written recipe. It was always good, though.
What's in a name? Well, I was interested enough in a dessert called Monkey Balls to read on and see what it was, more so than if the restaurant had called it Cheesecake Bites.
I'm just as likely to look more closely at a book in a book review or in the bookstore if it has an intriguing title, especially if it also has a great cover. Names and titles, just like presentation, are effective tools for attracting attention and making a sale.
Monkey Balls (this restaurant version, anyway) are made from cheesecake, deep fried, then drowned in ice cream, whipped cream, and hot fudge. Sounds decadent, and I wouldn't try it at home. But if you're ever in Northern Colorado, you might want to check it out.
Death by Chocolate comes in many forms, but I tried one in a restaurant in Florida many years ago and it nearly finished me. I thought I really was going to die. Eventually my taste for chocolate returned, thank goodness.
Snickerdoodles are my favorite cookies of all time. I've been making them since I was a kid, and that was a really, really long time ago. When my own kids were little, I let them roll the dough and dip it into the cinnamon, sugar mixture for me. They saved me a lot of work, and they were having fun with no thoughts of actually being helpful.
Blueberry Grunt (also known as blueberry slump) is made with blueberries and a sweet dumpling dough.
My paternal grandmother used to make her In a Bowl Put cake for dessert. As far as we knew, it had no other name and there was no written recipe. It was always good, though.
What's in a name? Well, I was interested enough in a dessert called Monkey Balls to read on and see what it was, more so than if the restaurant had called it Cheesecake Bites.
I'm just as likely to look more closely at a book in a book review or in the bookstore if it has an intriguing title, especially if it also has a great cover. Names and titles, just like presentation, are effective tools for attracting attention and making a sale.
Monday, August 2, 2010
The Book Addiction
I'm addicted to things I don't want to give up:
1. Books
2. Coffee
3. Chocolate
Luckily, these addictions are not terribly harmful, unless I indulge too frequently. I'm doing okay on the coffee and chocolate, but the book collection is growing out of control (again).
I'll take this weekend as an example. In addition to the three bookscases stuffed full of books I haven't read, and two stacks on top of one bookcase, and the writing books I have upstairs in my office (many unread), I also have 22 TBR books stacked on the table by my favorite reading chair.
So what did I do Friday night at the Northern Colorado Writers Wine and Words fundraiser? I bought two more books:
1. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
2. The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
And Saturday? I attended Cricket McRae's book signing and cheese tasting and bought her new release, Something Borrowed, Something Bleu.
And Sunday? I returned The Man in the High Castle to the library, then checked out:
1. Thrillers: 100 Must Reads edited by David Morrell & Hank Wagner
2. Exile by Richard North Patterson
even though I already have a library book in my stack: The Book of Spies by Gayle Lynds.
See what I mean? I must regain control...soon.
1. Books
2. Coffee
3. Chocolate
Luckily, these addictions are not terribly harmful, unless I indulge too frequently. I'm doing okay on the coffee and chocolate, but the book collection is growing out of control (again).
I'll take this weekend as an example. In addition to the three bookscases stuffed full of books I haven't read, and two stacks on top of one bookcase, and the writing books I have upstairs in my office (many unread), I also have 22 TBR books stacked on the table by my favorite reading chair.
So what did I do Friday night at the Northern Colorado Writers Wine and Words fundraiser? I bought two more books:
1. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
2. The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
And Saturday? I attended Cricket McRae's book signing and cheese tasting and bought her new release, Something Borrowed, Something Bleu.
And Sunday? I returned The Man in the High Castle to the library, then checked out:
1. Thrillers: 100 Must Reads edited by David Morrell & Hank Wagner
2. Exile by Richard North Patterson
even though I already have a library book in my stack: The Book of Spies by Gayle Lynds.
See what I mean? I must regain control...soon.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Sunday Bits and Pieces
Beth Groundwater's Book Giveaway
Drop in at Beth's blog to get the exact instructions, but basically all you have to do to enter is sign up to follow her blog as well as Midnight Ink's blog, Inkspot. Can't get much easier than that. Beth writes the Claire Hanover gift basket mysteries as well as her new series featuring Mandy Tanner, whitewater river ranger.
Alex J. Cavanaugh's Book Giveaway
Alex is celebrating his 200th follower (now more than 220) at his blog, Alex J. Cavanaugh. This one has a few rules/requirements to win a copy of his sci fi novel, CassaStar (to be released October 19, 2010), as well as a feature on the blog. Alex will be one of my guest bloggers in October.
Chuckles
Bodie Parkhurst's post at Magic Dog Press -- a little humor about airplane travel.
The LOL Cats at Spunk on a Stick (L. Diane Wolfe)
Elspeth Antonelli's Fun Friday -- more crazy signs
What I'm Reading
I'm well into The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick. This is alternative history (what if Japan and Germany had won World War II) with a bit of sci fi in the mix. It's both fascinating and disturbing.
What About You?
Feel free to post links to contests or book giveaways, funny blog posts, or what you're reading here in the comments. And don't forget to watch for the August Mystery Writers of America book giveaway post. As soon as the information is available from MWA, I'll post it here.
Drop in at Beth's blog to get the exact instructions, but basically all you have to do to enter is sign up to follow her blog as well as Midnight Ink's blog, Inkspot. Can't get much easier than that. Beth writes the Claire Hanover gift basket mysteries as well as her new series featuring Mandy Tanner, whitewater river ranger.
Alex J. Cavanaugh's Book Giveaway
Alex is celebrating his 200th follower (now more than 220) at his blog, Alex J. Cavanaugh. This one has a few rules/requirements to win a copy of his sci fi novel, CassaStar (to be released October 19, 2010), as well as a feature on the blog. Alex will be one of my guest bloggers in October.
Chuckles
Bodie Parkhurst's post at Magic Dog Press -- a little humor about airplane travel.
The LOL Cats at Spunk on a Stick (L. Diane Wolfe)
Elspeth Antonelli's Fun Friday -- more crazy signs
What I'm Reading
I'm well into The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick. This is alternative history (what if Japan and Germany had won World War II) with a bit of sci fi in the mix. It's both fascinating and disturbing.
What About You?
Feel free to post links to contests or book giveaways, funny blog posts, or what you're reading here in the comments. And don't forget to watch for the August Mystery Writers of America book giveaway post. As soon as the information is available from MWA, I'll post it here.
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